plasmac GUIs

would it be possible within your sticky posts to show the current GUI screenshots or at least some examples of the current "Default" ones

in my opinion that is the bit that users see and use so that is the ergonomic bit.

I am aware how good plasmac is and what it does, but as a new user it's the shiny front end bit that you see what it does / has.

sure you can change anything (that is the big advantage of linuxcnc) and if you want you can have full control over everything but only when you have been using Linux and linuxcnc a while and get your head around it when you come from idiot proof windows (plug and play + constrained to what it comes with when you install it / allowed to fiddle with by the developer)

I have an air scribe (I now see plasmac has this covered)

I also have a 4th axis so like A dro and control on the screen too

I also like to use a Sharpie / marker pen too. I also have a small laser cutter that I can swap out the plasma torch from the magnetic holder and it allows me to just cut something out in paper or cardboard as a cheap test fit before wasting steel

and finally I have a camera that I can use to trace a part with (again swap out the plasma torch at the magnetic breakaway) and I've a camera scanner to gcode. I could put a touchprobe on there but a camera scanner is quicker just edge following.

I am only a hobby user (I have a new job (thanks 2020 one of the redundancies) so time is short (but I really enjoy the new job so good needed move!) hence bonnet time is zero / limited

I use uccnc and am happy with it.

but I'm looking at Pathpilot for my lathe as I want something that just WORKS in metric (uccnc doesn't do turn and although I've tried my best to get it to do turn it's always a compromise and I just could not get some of the parametric programming to work I needed to for simple stuff). I have mach4 too (licence + motion controllers) but I just struggle to get it to do what I need to with simple stuff for turn / lathe application.

hence want to spend my limited time available driving the stuff than under the bonnet.

hence looking at the GUI screenshots in a central place is always helpful as an advertising medium to new / potential users.

thanks for your time, sorry about the long post.

I have installed plasmac a few times including the latest 2.8.1 but just a page of screenshots can help to skim through to see if it meets a potential new users needs

robertspark wrote:

would it be possible within your sticky posts to show the current GUI screenshots or at least some examples of the current "Default" ones

Are you meaning the existing Axis and Gmoccapy GUIs or the proposed QtPlasmac GUI?
There are shots of the main screen for Axis and Gmoccapy here
QtPlasmaC is still evolving.

I also have a small laser cutter that I can swap out the plasma torch from the magnetic holder and it allows me to just cut something out in paper or cardboard as a cheap test fit before wasting steel

That seems like a neat idea.

phillc54 wrote:

robertspark wrote:

would it be possible within your sticky posts to show the current GUI screenshots or at least some examples of the current "Default" ones

Are you meaning the existing Axis and Gmoccapy GUIs or the proposed QtPlasmac GUI?
There are shots of the main screen for Axis and Gmoccapy here
QtPlasmaC is still evolving.

just Axis and Gmoccapy as I thought that QtPlasmaC is still in development (not for use / not within the current stable release of linuxcnc)

it's all the other tabs too.

I have been playing with the online Pathpilot SIM. hub.pathpilot.com/about and it's been nice to flip through the tabs etc and get a feel for what's there (or at least see it) easily without installing linuxcnc (to be fair I have it installed properly on 1 fanless pc (in cold garage), and in the house it have it installed via a virtual desktop on windows)

I know there are Axis lovers out there as it "just works" so I understand your viewpoint as it's probably very easy to change too (unlike some of the newer guis where you need to understand a few programming languages) and for a non Linux / linuxcnc user that can be daunting.... especially when you come from a sexy screenset in Windows ("all makeup and no substance!" did I hear someone shout?)

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the laser is just a cheapo blue laser (couple of watts, 12v runs off a pen signal if you want to adjust its brightness). it cuts gaskets too (or you could just use a ball peen hammer or some engineers blue and a pair of good scissors....

just set the focal height and let it trace the outlines. it doesn't need to use a high speed look laser output in sync with motion (unless you are doing pictures.... on tiles.... another post...)

The best way to review QtPLasmac would be to install master branch and run up the relevant SIM. I have done this from Phill's original repo and posted a few bugs that got fixed as well as suggesting a few ideas.

I'm hoping over the Christmas break to deploy it on my table. The main thing missing is the conversational side that I don't use. While Phill says its not ready for prime time, I think its usable now.

Your sharpie and laser would be easy to support due to Linuxcnc's multi spindle features and you could explore how the tool table can apply offsets for your tools by referring to the engraver config. That part of Plasmac has been designed to be extensible for multiple tools to cater for people like you.

Phill has done some work with OpenCV to provide camera integration and has been used to adjust for material not placed 100% square on the table. Now that OpenCV is integrated, I think it will be possible to add smarter camera based features like scanning and automatic edge detection.

I rally think we are just scratching the surface but its unreasonable to think that QtPlasmac will deliver a polished interface the moment its released. People like Hypertherm have got a few decades start!

yes but hypertherm and tormach users have deep pockets too and teams of people that just program.... and get paid for it as a living not FOC as a hobby